The Letter
by Swordquill71
Summary: Neal left Peter a letter about 3 weeks after Judgement Day Season 3 Finale . Spoilers for every episode ever. Also, in chapter 2 and beyond suicide is a theme but it is only discussed and will not be shown.
1. Chapter 1

The Letter

Summary: What if Neal left a note for Peter after Judgment Day?

Author's Note: Spoilers for every White Collar Episode ever.

3 weeks after Neal George Caffery had left. Peter refused to use the term 'ran away.' Neal had left. He would return. A pigeon landed on Peter Burke's patio. The place had been surrounded with people from the Bureau. Suits as Mozzie would say. Peter smiled but quickly began to grow annoyed with the bird, as it wouldn't stop cooing. Peter waked over and noticed a flash-drive around the bird's leg. He felt like her could finally breathe. He had been worried sick about Neal. Neal had knack for getting into trouble. He remembered something that El had said once to Neal. Neal did the wrong things for the right reasons.

Peter walked into his house and caught his wife's eye and mouthed distraction. He did feeling reporting his late night delivery just yet. He knew that some things are better left off the record. Neal had taught him that. Peter crept upstairs and turned out his light to feign sleep. He grabbed a laptop and threw in the drive without even thinking. He didn't care or realize that the F.B.I. could be watching. Peter Burke just needed to know whether or not his partner was okay.

Peter was faced with a series of questions about the man once known as James Bonds. Then it dawned on him. These questions were so specific about Neal only two people in the entire world would be able to answer all of them correctly. One of them was somewhere on an island and the other was suffering from sleep deprivation. After nearly two hours Peter was done answering all the questions. Peter was then faced with instructions.

1. Unplug your computer and find a laptop.  
2. Close all your blinds and turn the lights out.  
3. Leave your computer in your bathroom.  
4. Lock your bedroom doors.  
5. Go into the bathroom.  
6. After reading this message take out the flash-drive and dump it in rubbing alcohol. Dispose of the flash-drive with Satchmo's dog food.  
7. Shake the laptop for a while and drop it. Hard. A lot. Kill the hard-drive.  
8. Replace the hard-drive.

Peter was shocked at the fact that he was actually following Caffery's directions. When he got to step five he realized that he was pushing the rules once gain. Hell, that was all he had been doing since the day Caffery walked out of the prison in that Pea-coat. Still, Peter waltzed into his bathroom and opened the file with the picture of Daniel Craig* on it. A letter with Neal's beautiful calligraphy on it opened up….

**Author's Note: **I was thinking that this will only be three chapters max. should it be longer?

*Daniel Craig is the actor who played the latest James Bond


	2. Chapter 2

The Letter

Warning: Suicide theme but not dark as it is only mentioned but not shown.

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait I've been so busy lately. I thought that the new season in very interesting but more on that later…

Dear Special Agent Peter Burke,

I would say that I'm sorry but that doesn't even cover for a tenth of the trouble that I have brought to your doorstep. I put sweet Elizabeth in harm's way as well as countless innocent people. I think it is time that you, El, June, Jones, Diana, and everyone else just forgot about me. Let me be a legend, a ghost to never be seen again. Let me be the past and life will go back to normal.

It is clear to me that I will always be a drifter. No one can be around me without getting hurt in the long run. I am not fit for society. I have too many demons following from my past. I can not let them haunt the people that I care about. You always say that I can get out of any prison. For about the first time you were wrong about me. The only prison that can hold me is the one that will hold me until the very end. So I must end it. I have to escape my prison. Please don't look for me. Let me be. As I end this once and for all just know that you are only the person I've ever trusted completely.

-Neal Caffery

Peter stared at the text in front of him. His heart was thumping as he copied the note down at lighting speed.

"Hey honey," Elizabeth poked in and took notice of Peter's sheet white face, "is everything okay."

"No, it isn't. I need to find Neal right now before he does something reckless." Peter responded.

"What do you mean?"

"I think Neal is going to take an attempt on his life."

Author's Note: Don't worry I'm not going to make it very dark. The entire story (which will be longer than 3 chapters) will be told in Peter's perspective so it won't get graphic. This is just a mini chapter. The other chapters will be longer. On a different note, the new season is interestingly done. Spoiler alert! I hated the premier. I thought it was really awkwardly done. It makes no sense why would the bounty hunter want to kill Neal? He has never committed a violent crime. Peter is really out of character. The second episode was a little better. Your thoughts?


	3. Chapter 3

The Letter

Chapter 3

Warning: Suicide theme but not dark as it is only mentioned but not shown.

Peter found himself wondering for the third time that week trying to figure what to do next. Justice and the Bureau probably wouldn't care less about Neal's fate. They probably would be happier actually.

At first Peter had been shocked to find what was now known as Neal's suicide note. It didn't seem like something Neal would do. Neal was always so happy and full of those cocky smiles. Neal would have said something to Peter. They were partners. Right?

Peter didn't know how he got to his office. He half remembered eating his favorite pancakes courtesy of El. Their breakfast had been unusually silent. She gave indications of wanting to talk about the letter but she just pursed her lips and held back tears. Peter didn't know why he told her the upsetting news. Maybe it was because he felt like he had almost as many secrets as Neal used to have. He mentally scolded himself for thinking the worst. Neal is alive. He has to be. n

The weekly case proposition meeting left Peter staring out of the window and nodding. He kept kicking himself for not noticing that something was off about Neal. How had he been so stupid. Of course there were dozens of more layers to Neal.

Luckily Diana and Jones were able to run point on the meeting. They picked up on the fact that something was wrong. That's why he picked them to be his lieutenants, they noticed things that others simply didn't.

After the meeting they gave him a moment to breathe and then they came in to his office.

"Hey, boss. Is something up? I know it's a Monday morning but…" Diana trailed off and began to twirl her hair and glanced at Jones' tie.

"Boss, it just you know that we're here for you. We get that it must be tough with er, Caffery gone." Jones' expression turned anxious as he brought up the ex-consultant's name.

"Huh? Oh, uh thanks." Peter responded. His vibrating phone interrupted his fixed stare out into the bullpen. It was a text from his wife.

"_Always here 4 u. U just need 2 ask_."

"Hey guys?" Peter called out to Jones and Diana

"Boss?" They both responded looking hopeful.

At the look on Peter's face they shut the door behind them and got ready to be sitting in those chairs for a while.

Peter put his finger to his lips as he took about out a black a marker and a pad.

He wrote the following: _Can't risk bugs in the office. Can you come over to my place tonight at eight? Need to show you something._

The duo nodded and left the office. It felt like for the first time there was someone else on his team besides himself and El.


	4. Author's Note

Hello Fanfic readers of the universe!,

Please don't kill me.

I know it's been an extremely long time since I updated.

School and tumblr has taken so much of my time. I am currently working on nice lengthy endings. Yes, all my stories will be concluded in the next chapter I post unless other wise noted.

I aim to have it up in the next few weeks but midterms are coming up.

Sorry again,

Swordquill71


End file.
